Sister Dearest
by JusticeHarmonyLynnWilder
Summary: What if Erik, much like Charles, gained a 'little sister' through his life of torture and experimentation? Would she be able to change the events at the end of the day? Change the future as it were? We'll have to wait and see. Set during X-Men First Class
1. Chapter 1

Sister Dearest

What if Erik, much like Charles, gained a 'little sister' through his life of torture and experimentation? Would she be able to change the events at the end of the day? Change the future as it were? We'll have to wait and see.

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><p>Annabelle was five when the soldiers came to her home and took her and her family away.<p>

Annabelle was five when her and her parents were separated, and little did she know at that time that it would be forever.

Annabelle was five when she was taken away from the other kids by soldiers once again.

Annabelle was five when she met Sebastian Shaw.

And Annabelle was five when her life started to not become her own anymore.

Of course, since Annabelle _was_ five she never truly understood this concept, nor the concept that she was truly different. She never understood that she was different from the millions of other people that surrounded her every day, different in the most spectacular way.

She was a mutant, a genuine, genetically enhanced and mutated individual.

Her story starts in a small village on the outskirts of Berlin, Germany. The name and exact location really isn't all that important to her story. What_ is_ important is the day she discovered her knack for performing the extraordinary.

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><p><em><strong>Flashback<strong>_

"_Mommy! Mommy look what I found!" Annabelle giggled softly as she walked over to her Mother who was kneeling by the small, very poorly grown tomato garden. The plants were all wilting pitifully, and most of the tomatoes hardly looked edible anymore, but ever since the war had started it was hard to come by any food whatsoever for her and her family. As Annabelle's Mother would tell her they would have to 'simply make do' and do their best 'not to complain about what little God was able to spare for them daily'. Annabelle really wasn't sure who 'God' was, but she knew she was a little irked that he was making her eat rotten vegetables and mouldy bread for dinner almost every night. Even more so did she find she didn't care for this 'God' character when her parents usually went without so her and her five siblings _could_ eat. _

"_What did you find, darling?" The elderly women whose deep chocolate curls matched that of her youngest daughter's, though Annabelle had her Father's freckles and deep green eyes. She smiled more as the little girl ran up to her, her spindly legs carrying her as far as she could before showing her a cupped hand. The older women looked down intently, before letting out a very undignified shriek of surprise as when the little girl's hands opened a loud 'CROAK' could be heard and a giant, warty toad leaped out at her, landing safely on the grass between them. She looked wide eyed to her daughter, who was doubled over in laughter, looking quite proud of herself as the older woman couldn't help a small, slightly amused smile._

"_Are you trying to give your dear Mother a heart attack?" She laughed some as she shook her head, before sitting down on the grass and wrapping her arms around her daughter's waist, pulling her down into her lap then._

"_No, I love you too much to do that Mommy." The little girl in her lap answered sweetly as she grinned up at her, a toothy, bright smile. "Besides, I've got something else to show you that I did." She added lightly as she furrowed her eyebrows then, looking back towards the pitiful plants in front of them. "I really don't like vegetables Mommy." She sighed some as she looked back up to her then._

"_I know you don't baby girl, but we've got to eat something." Her Mother murmured down to her softly as she kissed the top of her head sweetly, sighing some. "Soon, darling, soon the war will be over and your Father can open his business back up and we'll celebrate with a big, huge, _giant_ cake, how does that sound, my love?" She asked lightly as she grinned down at her daughter who squealed in enthusiasm and clapped her hands together, nodding rapidly. _

"_I'd really, really like that Mommy!" Annabelle grinned, before looking back to the plants as she furrowed her eyebrows once more. "Now, can I show you what I did before?" She asked lightly then as she looked to her Mom in question, waiting for permission. She grinned as her Mother nodded and gently shifted out of her Mother's lap, crawling on her hands and knees to the small garden area and the wilting plants. "Why won't these grow right Mommy?" She asked then as she frowned, looking back to her Mom._

_Annabelle's Mother tilted her head some in question hearing her daughter, before frowning a bit in curiosity while watching her. "I suppose because we haven't had enough sun to help them go, darling." She murmured softly then. "Why do you ask?"_

_Annabelle's face lit up in excitement then as she heard her Mother. "I think I can help them grow!" She responded enthusiastically as she knelt by the plants, holding her tiny hands out, her thin fingers reaching for the plants. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she looked up, seeing the sun just barely peeking out from behind some dark clouds, but it was enough for her to feel the warmth on her skin. She concentrated on the warmth, closing her eyes as she thought about the warmth soaking into her body, feeling it pulsing through her veins as it started in her chest and slowly moved outwards to her legs and arms. She closed her eyes tighter, concentrating all the harder before she thought about mentally pushing that warmth she had gained from the sun, from her both through her finger tips. Her tiny body shook with the effort of trafficking the energy she had absorbed from the sun to her arms, her fingers shaking as she soon felt the warmth explode through her mental exit point. She could see the flash of light through her eyelids; it was strong and felt like it last for a long time before she slowly felt the warmth leave her completely, her body shaking from the cold it left behind. She groaned some then, her little body going limp as she stayed on her knees, slowly opening her eyes and grinned widely seeing the plants in front of her looking vibrant and full of life. "SEE! SEE! I DID IT MOMMY!" Annabelle cried out proudly, turning to her Mother who had a look of utter disbelief, shock...and even some fear in her eyes. _

"_Mommy? Did I do something wrong?" Annabelle frowned some as she crawled back over to her Mom, back into her lap then and looked up to her with her big, innocent green eyes._

"_Annabelle...I-" Her Mother gasped some, hearing angry shouting coming from the house, holding her daughter tighter to her before they both jumped hearing a couple shots ring through the air._

_Then, out of the house stepped to storm troopers, and before Annabelle could realize it she was being ripped away from her Mother viciously, her little hands trying desperately to reach out for her. They were taking her away for being bad, for doing what she had just done, she knew it._

"_MOMMY! MOMMY! NO! DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME AWAY! I PROMISE! I PROMISE I WON'T DO IT ANYMORE! JUST PLEASE MOMMY!" Annabelle screamed, sobbed, pleaded as she was taken away from her Mother._

_From her life._

_But, towards her destiny._

_**End Flashback**_

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><p>Annabelle sighed softly as her hands lightly ran along the plastic bars of her cubicle, walking around the small cell over and over as she frowned more, looking around. She sighed once again then, in boredom as she moved around to sit down on her bed, her tiny hands clasping the edges as she swung her tiny legs back and forth. When was anybody going to talk to her? Why couldn't she go outside and play?<p>

Annabelle jumped as the door to the room swung open suddenly and she watched as a boy was dragged through by a couple soldiers and thrown into the cell next to her's, one made of plastic as well. She watched on wide eyed then as she moved back as far as she could from the door of her cell, glaring at the guards but not saying a word, not wanting to get into more trouble. She chewed on her lip, waiting for the guards to go before slowly walking over to the side of the cell that was next to the other boy's. He looked older than her, but of course she couldn't tell just how old. She would guess he was ten, at least, if not older. He was skinny, much like she was too, but he had a kind face that made her want to talk to him. Then again, being a five year old you end up being more trusting than you ought to be.

"H...Hello?" Annabelle slowly stuttered out as she walked over, wrapping her tiny hands around the plastic bars of her cell as she pressed her face into the space between, trying to get a good look at the boy. She frowned some when he didn't respond to her and simply moved over to his bed, sitting down and starring down at his hands. "I said hello?" She tried again, sighing softly in frustration when she got no answer from the boy once more. "You know, it's rude to ignore people." She pointed out, something her Mother had always told her. "Where are your manners?" She added as she pouted some, placing her fists on her hips as she watched the boy. It was then that he slowly looked up and over to her, looking her over and sighing.

"Hi." He murmured back shortly as he frowned more, noticing how young the girl looked. What was a kid, a baby, like her doing in a place like this? Did Shaw take her as well? Was she different like him?

"I'm Annabelle." Annabelle smiled when he finally responded, doing a rather unsteady curtsey. "What's your name?" She asked lightly then as she placed her hands back on the bars, watching the boy intently then.

"My name is Erik." Erik answered plainly as he watched the girl, slowly standing up and walking over to the side of the cell she was on, placing his own hands on the same bars, higher up than her's. "What are you doing here?" He frowned some as he watched the young girl.

"I...I don't know, they took me away from my Mommy after I...I did something I shouldn't have." Annabelle frowned deeply as she looked down to her feet. "I made light, and that's when they found us and took us away." She added as she bit hard at her lower lip then, her jaw trembling, threatening with sobs. Erik could see this as he felt his heart going out for the girl for some reason. She was just so tiny, she looked so defenceless.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. I'm here...I'll take care of you." Erik murmured softly to her as he reached through, gently gripping her chin to get her to look up to him. "I'll take care of you but you have to promise me no crying." He sighed some as he frowned a bit while watching the girl nod, doing her best to stop the tears that were rolling down her hollowed cheeks.

"You'll be my friend?" Annabelle asked softly then as she looked up to Erik, her big, watery green eyes begging him, pleading him to say yes. It was here on in that he knew he'd never be able to tell the younger girl he would come to see as a little sister no.

"Yes, Annabelle...I'll be your friend. I'll protect you."

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><p>Okay, I know this chapter is short, but I kinda just wanted to get it out there to see who likes the idea and who doesn't. I don't know who I'm going to stick with my OC as a romantic type thing, I'm just kinda hoping it'll unravel in the story, and with other's opinions. So please, please, please review? I don't know to continue this story unless people tell me that I should continue it!<p>

Thanks a million for your support!


	2. Chapter 2

Sister Dearest

I do not own anything that belongs to the X-Men Franchise (that goes for chapter one as well)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Oh my goodness! I never expected to get such an astronomical reaction to my first chapter of the story! I was so excited when I woke up in the morning and saw that I had 13 reviews already, and more continued to file in after that! Honestly, reviews really do make my day and make me work all the faster on new chapters. As I promised this is a much better edited, longer chapter compared to the first chapter that I posted. I hope everyone really does enjoy it!

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><p><em>Annabelle could feel the needles poking her skin, along with the cold head brace holding her head in place along with the rough material of the straps around her ankles and wrists. She felt cold, colder than she had for days as she lay on the table, semi conscious. It felt like she'd never be warm again, like all the life was slowly being drained out of her. Why wouldn't they just leave her and Erik both alone?<em>

"_It's some sort of healing factor that comes with her mutation, that's why she is recovering so quickly Mr. Shaw." She heard the Doctor's voice above her as she opened her eyes slightly, his blurry outline to one side of her._

"_Then why are we not experimenting on her more? If she can handle it I want to see more progress." Came Shaw's voice from her other side, as she looked and saw a much darker, blurred outline above her. His voice alone made her body wrack violently with shivers._

_The Doctor had obviously seen her shivering as he pointed it out. "That is why, Mr. Shaw. She may have a healing factor, but she still needs to recuperate after exhausting her powers. After she has used her power her body's core temperature decreases dramatically, varying all on the amount that she exerts. The more she does, the more her body's temperature drops. If we don't give her time to rest, to warm back up, her body will become hypothermic and her heart will stop." The Doctor explained calmly. "She's just a baby, Shaw." He added with a growl._

"_You knew what you were signing up for when you came into this." Shaw replied easily then as he sighed some, and Annabelle closed her eyes as Shaw turned from the table, unable to keep them open even the little bit that they were any longer._

"_No!" The Doctor spat out then. "No, I didn't! I didn't sign up to experiment on _children_." He hissed angrily at Shaw._

"_And what is really the difference between children and adults?" Annabelle heard Shaw ask coldly as she started when a fist suddenly came down on the medical tray near her bed._

"_A whole hell of a lot, Shaw! Annabelle is just a baby! Erik is only a kid! They should never have been brought into this!" The Doctor hissed out at him. "They are not at fault for who they are!"_

"_Why don't you try preaching that to the Nazi party and Hitler? Maybe then he'll let all the Jews go." Shaw replied with a laugh then as he shook his head some._

"_Damn you." The Doctor growled lowly, and Annabelle heard a bunch of shuffling and shouting, the sound of flesh meeting flesh hard as she felt her heart start to pound in her chest and she felt the cold, dreading feeling of fear entering her system. She could hear what was going on, but she couldn't move. _Why couldn't she move_? She couldn't even open her eyes, they were so heavy...Suddenly she heard the clicking of a gun._

_**BANG**_

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><p><em><em>Annabelle gasped loudly as she shot up in her bed, looking around wildly as her heart thundered in her chest, almost feeling as if it might simply leap out at any given moment. She slowly calmed her breathing down as she took in her surroundings, relief flooding through her at the familiar sight of her room. The sun was shining through her curtains as she stood shakily from her bed, grabbing her robe and tying it around her securely so it hid the night dress underneath. She walked over to the window, pulling the blinds open gently and sighed softly as she looked at the streets of Geneva, Switzerland below. The people were bustling around as they tried to fight their way through the crowds to get to the supermarket or to work. It was a far cry from how things had been all those years ago during the war.

The world was alive again, but not without leaving small reminders behind.

Annabelle sighed once more then as she turned away from the window, crossing her arms as she walked towards the door that adjoined her room with Erik's. She knocked a few times before opening the door, smiling softly seeing her brother sitting on his bed with his own robe on as well, starring at the wall across from it and the pictures that littered the map he had pinned there.

"Morning, Erik." Annabelle murmured softly as she walked over, and Erik finally looked to her, laughing some as he saw her.

"Did you just roll out of bed, Anna?" Erik asked teasingly as he took in her disarrayed chocolate waves, the brightness of her green eyes and the redness of her freckled face. You would not believe her to be the spindly young girl he had met all those years ago at the camp. When they had been finally released at the end of the war, and after months of better nutrition, Anna had started to plump right up. Now, she stood before him, slightly larger than average and curvier as well. She had a pretty face, but no men had sought after her due to the shape of her body, which Erik was grateful for.

He didn't need to be killing young men while trying to find Shaw as well after all.

Most people often mistook them for a couple when they saw them together, and though Anna is indeed pretty, he could never think of her in such a romantic fashion. She is his little sister, his confident, and his best friend. She was the only one that ever truly understood him and what he was doing, though she didn't always approve of his methods. He couldn't really say that he blame her.

"Yes, in fact, I did." Annabelle sighed softly as she walked over to his bed, crawling onto it and flopping down against his side, resting her head on his chest then as she sighed once more. "Nightmare woke me up." She added quietly, knowing that he'd find out one way or another. She felt a comforting kiss being placed on the top of her head in her messy waves as she turned her eyes to look at his hand. She smiled softly watching the way he passed the coin between his fingers effortlessly, using his mutation to make the silver coin weave between his fingers magically. "How did you sleep?" She asked softly then.

"How do I ever sleep, Anna?" Erik answered her tiredly as he sighed softly himself, shaking his head slightly.

"True enough." Annabelle murmured in agreement, knowing they both often suffered from regular nightmares. She chewed some on her lower lip as she let her eyes trace down lower to the tattoo of numbers on the inside of his forearm, shifting some and placing her arm with the same tattoo design (different numbers) beside his own. She pulled her robe sleeve up, letting her eyes look between their arms, and feeling that Erik was doing the same. "We're going to have to move on sometime, Erik...you know this." She told him gently as she looked up to him. "They were bad people Erik, they did horrible things to millions of people, but we're only letting them win by continuing to let what they did all those years ago affect us now. Chasing after them..._killing_ them...it'll never be the answer to what you're looking for, dear brother." She sighed as she sat up a bit more, so she could look to him eye to eye. "They _will_ get what's coming to them in the end, but it should _not _be by your hand." She told him firmly, watching his eyebrows furrow tiredly hearing her.

"Anna, we've had this discussion a hundred times, if not thousands. I need to do this, and you _know_ why." Erik told her as he looked to her then, knowing she'd know. Shaw killed his Mother, right there in front of him. He hadn't been able to move the very coin he was levitating effortlessly now in time, and Shaw had killed her. He thought it only right that he returned the favour. "You know you can leave whenever you want to, I'm not going to drag you into this without your consent. You know my motives and you know what I'm going to do. Nothing, Anna, not even God himself could stop me." He growled out the last bit then as he flicked the coin that was at his fingers, sending it straight into the forehead of Shaw's picture on the wall. Anna winced at the sound of impact as she watched on, sighing softly then as she looked back to Erik.

"I'm not leaving you, not now. You never left me Erik when I needed you back in the camp; I'm not going to leave you when I know you need me now." Anna murmured softly to him then as she sighed, scooting back down and tucking herself into his side, gazing at the picture and the coin. She felt him press another kiss to the top of her head then as she sighed once more. "I love you, brother."

"And I you, sister." Erik murmured softly as he wrapped both his arms around the girl at his side, looking on at the wall with her as he did. He was going to get Shaw, and when he did he was going to make the man regret killing his Mother, regret hurting him, and most of all...

He was going to regret ever laying a single finger on his little sister.

"Get dressed, Anna, we're going to make a deposit to the bank."

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><p>Anna sighed softly as she walked alongside her brother down the street, her black heels clicking along the sidewalk at a faster pace than his own shoes were heard.<p>

"Erik? Slow down, please, I don't have long legs like you do!" Anna got out breathlessly then as she sighed some in relief when he finally did slow down, his arm coming around to wrap around her shoulders and hold her into his side as they walked. She smiled, resting against him easily as she walked with him at the much more capable pace for her.

"I keep forgetting how short you are." Erik chuckled some at her then as he smiled more when she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"Just because you are freakishly tall, doesn't give you the right to call me short." Anna grumbled lightly as she strode alongside her brother, turning with him up the path and through the front doors of the bank.

"And just because you're a midget doesn't mean you get to call me 'freakishly' tall either." Erik deadpanned playfully as he walked up to the desk, murmuring something about an appointment to the lady. Anna's French was limited at best, but she could usually get by, by watching people's body languages and piecing together what she did know to understand what they were saying. She was definitely not as fluent as her brother Erik was, though she did very well with English.

"Come on, Anna." Erik's gentle hand on her arm made her look up to him, starting from her process of being deep in thought. She smiled and nodded, following him around the front desk and down the hall, looking around as she did. It was a beautiful building, but then again, Switzerland had always been one of the prettiest places she had ever been to, and she had been to many what with traveling with Erik.

She stopped as they came to the huge oak doors, knocking politely despite the sceptical look that Erik gave her as she did. She frowned some at his look though. "What? It doesn't take much energy or time to be polite." She sighed some then, hearing the man speaking French from behind the door, obviously beckoning them in as Erik opened the door for her, nodding for her to go in first as she grinned some. "See, was being a gentleman really all that painful?" She murmured lightly to him as she patted his arm gently before stepping on into the room.

"More than you'll ever know." Erik murmured into her ear as he pressed his hand to her lower back, guiding her over to the desk and letting her sit down first before taking the chair next to her's.

"Bonjour, Monsieur." Anna murmured softly as she nodded her head politely to the man, watching him as his pudgy face nodded back to her, giving her a friendly smile.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle-"

"Annabelle Lehnsherr, et Il est mon frère, Erik Lehnsherr." Annabelle murmured softly as she sat comfortably in her seat.

"Ah, oui. Vous avez tous les deux tient à me parler de quelque chose d'important?" _You both wished to talk to me about something important?_ The man asked then as he leaned back in his own chair, and Annabelle watched as Erik dug into his briefcase and pulled out the block of gold, the Nazi symbol imbedded into the precious metal for them all to see. The man behind the desk looked shocked as he gazed upon the block, looking back up to Erik accusingly then.

"Possession de cet or est illegal!" _Possession of this gold is illegal! _The man growled out then as he frowned more, looking between the both of them accusingly. "Voulez-vous que je d'appeler la police?" _Do you want me to call the police?_ Annabelle frowned some as she tried to make out what he was saying. She knew the gold was illegal, so the first sentence was easy enough to understand, and she definitely understood the threat he made with mentioning the police. Erik, though, remained incredibly calm during the whole ordeal.

"Il ne faut pas jouer à ce jeu." _Let's not play this game._ Erik replied calmly as he lifted an eyebrow at the man behind the desk. Annabelle, meanwhile, was clutching at the arms of her chair slightly, nervous now more than ever that this might go horribly wrong. Erik noticed as he looked to Annabelle out of the corner of his eye, reaching over easily and placing his hand calmly over the one nearest to him.

"Où avez-vous donc?" _So where did you get it from?_ The man behind the desk demanded then as he sat back calmly in his seat, and Annabelle chewed some on her lower lip as she frowned while watching him.

"Don amis" _From friends_ Erik replied easily as he tilted his head some, raising an eyebrow at the man. "Ils ont recommandé que j'en viens à votre banque" _They recommended that I come to your bank._ Annabelle frowned some as she watched the men then, looking to Erik once more to make sure things were under control, before looking back to the banker.

"Entendu. Vous savez que notre mandat, monsieur?" _Understood. You know our terms, Sir? _The man replied easily as well as he watched the both of them carefully.

"Oui." Erik replied easily as he nodded some, and Anna did the same regardless of the fact if she was, or was not, being addressed as well. Erik the leaned forward, taking a picture frame and looking at the picture of the sweet child placed within it.

"_No, Erik, please, you promised not to do this_." Annabelle sighed inwardly, knowing where this was going.

"Et vous savez mine." _And you should know mine. _Erick murmured back to the man easily as he looked over the photo in his hand. He set it down then with a grin as he tilted his head some, looking down at the cube of gold. "Cet or est tout ce qui reste de notre peuple." _This gold is all that is left of our people._ He stated matter-of-factly, motioning between himself and Annabelle. Annabelle frowned more as she inwardly cringed, knowing that once Erik brought up the sufferings of their people, he was on the trek of a deadly road. "Il s'agissait de leur propriété. Pris hors de leurs dents." _It was their property. Taken out of their teeth. _Erik began to explain, his voice becoming graver as he talked on.

"C'est argent du sang!" _This is blood money._ Erik finished angrily then, though his outer appearance remained disturbingly calm for the emotion in his voice. Annabelle felt the shivers running up and down her spine as the hair at the back of her neck stood on end. The man behind the desk didn't look much better, as she could visibly see apprehension, and even some fear, leaking into his eyes. He slowly started to unfold his hands as Annabelle watched them intently. "Et vous pouvez m'aider à trouver les salauds responsable de cela." _And you can help me find the bastards responsible for it._ Erik finished calmly then as Annabelle continued to watch the man intently. It then that she noticed his one hand stretching for what she would guess would be the alarm.

"Erik!" She exclaimed as she looked to him, but she knew he must've already foreseen it. He started to tut at the man, wagging his pointer finger back and forth as the watch the man was wearing on his wrist allowed Erik to control his hand, sending it flying back into his temple.

"Ne touchez pas le bouton." _Do not touch the button. _Erik warned the man calmly as the man looked on wide eyed, clearly in shock from what had happened. Annabelle sighed softly then as she watched Erik stand, slowly standing as well then.

"Erik...remember what you promised me." Anna murmured to him softly before he got too far away, a little apprehensive when he didn't even send her a look to even say he heard her. She gripped onto the edge of the front of the man's desk then as she frowned, watching on.

"Nous avons besoin d'un Schmidt. Klaus Schmidt." _We need a Schmidt. __Klaus Schmidt._ Annabelle spoke up as she frowned while watching Erik as he moved around to sit before the man on his desk, hitting his chest lightly, letting him know that he was not a force to be reckoned with.

"Où est -il?" _Where is he?_ Erik cut in then as he frowned down at the man. Annabelle sighed softly as the banker started to ramble of some excuses by the sound of it. But the fear was there, and Erik knew how to work with the fear of others.

"Nos clients n'ont aucune adresses. Nous n'avons pas ..." _Our clients have no addresses. We do not... _His fearful rambling was cut off as Erik leaned forward, his face hard as he pressed his hand to the man's chest.

"Pas une banque?" _Not a bank? _Erik asked angrily then as he glared down at the pudgy man. Suddenly, Annabelle saw his eyes lock onto something on the man's face as Erik raised his other hand. Gasping she realized what he was doing when the man's face started to screw up painfully and she could hear the tiny cracking noise of teeth.

"Oh, Erik, please! Don't do this!" Annabelle begged as she frowned deeply and winced, looking away while covering her ears, unable to watch the sickening sight, nor listen to the sounds of it either. Knowing what he was doing was enough to get her stomach feeling a little queasy. Annabelle looked over once more, hoping that Erik hadn't continued as she saw in horror that he indeed was. "You promised me Erik, just remember that, you promised me no more unnecessary killing." And with that she departed from the room, unable to stomach the torture that Erik was putting the man through, wondering if he would indeed keep to his promise. She only had to wait a few moments longer before the door opened and Erik calmly walked out, only to be met by her accusing stare.

"He is unharmed, though his dentist bill may suffer for his lost filling." Erik murmured easily, showing her the metal piece before throwing it somewhere as Annabelle slumped against the wall, sighing with relief.

"Thank you, Erik." Annabelle murmured softly to him as she smiled looking up to him, and he shrugged, looking indifferent. Though she knew he had done that for her, he wasn't going to admit it. She stood back up then as Erik placed his hand on her lower back, leading her back on down the hall towards the front of the building. "So, where to?"

"Argentina."

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><p>Okay so, we will leave off there and next chapter we will be introducing Erik and Annabelle to the one, the only, Charles Xavier! *audience roars in the background*. I hope to see as many reviews if not more to enthuse me on starting that third chapter all the sooner! Thanks again everybody for your enthusiastic reviews and support! I hope I keep continuing this story up to everybody's standards!<p>

Until the next chapter then

Ciao!


	3. Chapter 3

Sister Dearest

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the X-Men franchise

Hello! I am sooooooo incredibly sorry for the long wait this time, moving back to my apartment was, well, hectic, and adding that with visits from friends who haven't seen me in months and searching for a job, I hardly had time to sit down let along get back into the groove of writing. I do hope that this longer chapter makes up for the wait :S

As always thank you so much for the reviews, I am extremely excited and flattered whenever I see them in my mail, and I hope more are to come after this chapter :D The last bit was the most fun for me to write, and I hope you enjoy it as well :D

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><p>Annabelle sighed softly as she and Erik walked down the dusty road towards the outskirts of a very small village. In the distance the mountains stood proud with their snow capped tips, before them an old glacier lake that had most likely been around long before humans (or mutants) existed.<p>

"This place is beautiful, Erik." Annabelle murmured softly as she took a deep breath of the clean air. This place had an untouched feeling about it, a pureness that was lost to Europe once the First World War had broken out, followed by the second. There were no land scars to decimate the beautiful, picturesque scene before them.

"It is indeed, Anna." Erik smiled as he took a moment to feel the serenity of the land, wrapping an arm around Annabelle's shoulders while his other hand continued to hold his jacket over his shoulder. He pulled her in closer to him, kissing the top of her head softly. "Anna...are you sure that you are going to be alright?" He frowned as he looked down at her, knowing what they were going to be facing when they reached the bar ahead of them.

"I will be, so long as you promise me that _nobody_ gets killed Erik." Annabelle murmured softly as she looked up, her green eyes pleading as she searched his blue ones for that unspoken response to her promise. She smiled softly, seeing what she wanted there as she leaned up against his impossibly tall frame and kissed his cheek sweetly. "Thank you, Erik." She murmured softly then.

"You should not be thanking me, if anything these men should be thanking you. You're their saviour." Erik muttered dryly then with a frown, holding her tighter to him.

"All the same Erik...just, thank you." Annabelle smiled as she hugged him to her as well, walking up on towards the front door of the building and nodding in thanks as Erik held the door open for her. She smiled softly as she walked in, feeling his hand on her lower back soon enough, guiding her towards the bar to sit down.

"_Good afternoon gentlemen_." Erick spoke up in Spanish as he and Anna settled down. Anna chewed a bit on her lower lip, glancing over at the men for a second before she looked back down, unable to face them. She never had met them personally, but the knowledge of what these men had been a part of all those years ago made her stomach churn with nervousness. Erik seemed to have noticed as he reached over, rubbing her back gently in a calming fashion.

"_I'm afraid the heat has been getting to my sister and I. One beer and one water, please."_ Erik sighed as he let his hand drop gently from her, folding his arms on the countertop. Annabelle looked around, taking the place in as she did. It was very charming, but it still did not put her at ease.

"Over there, Annabelle." Erik whispered to her while the bar tender was busy getting their drinks, nodding towards the picture on the wall. Annabelle squinted her eyes some to take it in, before she froze as she instantly recognized the harsh pointed face and cold eyes of her former captor. Her hands shook a bit then as she chewed nervously on her lower lip, looking back down to the counter to try and rein herself in, tears prickling at her eyes. This was the part she hated...bringing up all those bad memories that she wished she could just leave buried in her past.

Erik frowned as he felt her smaller frame shaking next to his, moving his hand to her lower back and pressing it firmly then, as if trying to give her the silent support she needed to keep it all together. It was moments like these that he regretted bringing her along; not because he felt she was going to slow him down, but for the torture he was bringing her from daily reminders of the experimentation and cruelty that they both endured. Annabelle was strong in her own right, but when it came to their past, she was weak in holding back her emotions. Perhaps that is why she was always so ready to just leave well enough alone, always convincing him that dragging them both through this wasn't going to be worth it in the end.

But the thing was, even though she didn't think so, what they went through now was going to be more than worth it in the end when they got Shaw. He just knew it.

Erik looked back to the countertop as the beer and water was set down in front of him and Annabelle, lifting an eyebrow as he did.

"_German beer_." He stated more so than asked as he picked the glass up and the bar tendered nodded, shrugging his shoulders.

"_Of course_."

"_Yes, it's Bitburger, like it?_" Klaus spoke up in German as Annabelle's skin started to crawl. She chewed more on her lower lip nervously as her hands gripped the edges of the counter, too tense to reach out for her water now.

"_The best."_ Erik responded with a soft chuckle as he turned to the men, his mind set now on them and them only. His sister's tense body beside him went into the back of his mind for the time being, as unintentional as it might have been. Annabelle realized what was happening as she turned as well, her face pale as she looked to the men.

"_What brings you to Argentina_?" Erik continued on as the men behind him both looked to them. Annabelle's heart was thudding constantly against her rib cage now, whilst her eyes prickled painfully with the threat of tears. She quickly turned her chair around, staring determinedly at her glass while her hands shook with the hold she had still on the edge of the counter.

"_Climate, I love the weather_." Klaus responded to Erik. Erik felt a shiver go down his spine and the pins and needles sensation at the base of his skull. "_I'm a pig farmer_!" He added as he laughed loudly then, and Erik distantly noticed Annabelle jump slightly in the stool beside him.

"_I am a tailor. Have been my whole life_." The other man spoke up then as he looked from Erik back down to the table. "_My father sewed the best suits in all of Dusseldorf_." He added, his voice taking on some pride as he did. Erik grinned convincingly at the man.

"_My parents are from Dusseldorf_." He replied easily as he took his beer, shifting from his stool and making his way over to the table with the two men. Annabelle's heart continued to beat wildly in her chest, a shaky hand reaching out for the glass of water as she took a sip then, her mouth feeling dry. She just prayed that Erik didn't lose control. She turned, unable to stop from watching as Erik sat down at the table with the men.

"_What were their names?_" The man she didn't know asked lightly as he looked to Erik who appeared to be remaining calm during the entire exchange. Annabelle was sitting on the edge of her seat, literally.

"_**Remember, Erik...anger is **_**not **_**the answer**_!" Annabelle thought to herself as she chewed some on her lower lip while continuing to watch on.

"They did not have names." Erik replied evenly, a smile still on his face as the men looked at him strangely. She could feel that even they were getting a little on edge. "Their names were taken from them..." Erik continued on lightly as he held his beer up to toast with the man to his right. "by pig farmers..." He then moved his glass to toast with the man across from him. "and tailors." He ended with a gleeful lilt as Annabelle felt a cold shiver wrack her body. No...she was losing him again, she knew it.

"_**Please...Erik...**_**please**!" Annabelle mentally begged as she closed her eyes for a moment before opening the back up to watch. It was something she couldn't seem to turn herself away from. She watched, tense, as they drank long from their glasses of beer, her gut feeling like it was in a tight knot that would never come loose. When she saw him overturn his arm, showing the familiar brand of their captivity Annabelle knew that he was lost to anybody but himself.

"ERIK!" She gasped in horror as Klaus pulled out a knife, standing quickly as she felt weak in the knees seeing him catch it. She trembled slightly as she watched him pinning the other man's arm down, gazing down at the knife.

"_Blood and honor_." Erik read off of the blade with disgust, glaring at the man he held captive now. "_Which one_?" He questioned him as he continued to glare at the man. Annabelle looked on wide eyed as her hands trembled, shaking her head slowly.

"Erik! Please! Stop this!" Annabelle couldn't help begging him as she watched him ignoring her completely at the moment. His anger had taken over, and when his anger had taken over he was oblivious to anyone and anything going on around him.

"_We were just carrying out orders_..." Klaus replied calmly, but his eyes were panicked as he watched Erik holding the knife.

"Blood then." Erik decided as with a hefty throw he drove the knife straight through the man's hand, the man letting out a blood curdling scream. Annabelle let out her own horrified scream as she watched what Erik had done, her eye wide in shock before her scream was cut off by a large hand on her mouth, pulling her back into a body. She breathed heavily against the hand, her eyes growing wider with fear as she felt the cold metal barrel of the gun against her neck.

"_Let him go, freak, or your sister dies_!" The bar tender hissed out, jerking his hand back firmly, causing her neck to bend uncomfortably while the barrel of the gun bit into her skin. Annabelle found her knees had weakened completely, her body trembling against the man behind her, and her heart pumping wildly in her chest. Erik turned after hearing the man, his eyes suddenly taking on an even more deadly look as he saw his sister at the end of a gun. He growled lowly as his body trembled in rage, the gun moving from his sister's neck against the bartender's will towards the tailor. Annabelle's eyes looked on as the realization hit her like a punch in the stomach and she started to scream into the man's hand, begging Erik not to do this, but of course her pleas weren't heard. The shot rang through the bar as the tailor crumpled into a lifeless heap on the ground. Tears started to stream from Annabelle's face as she screamed once more behind the man's hand, this time in horror. She watched as Erik's eyes remained trained on the gun, tears flowing heavier from her eyes as she watched the gun slowly turning, coming up as the barrel rested on the man's temple. The man himself was sobbing in fear, begging Erik not to kill him as Annabelle finally broke the man's hand away from her face.

"ERIK! DON'T-" Her plea was cut off as the sound of the gun being fired once more was heard and she felt the man's body crumple to the ground behind her. Shaking terribly, she slowly turned as a soft sob escaped her when she saw the man dead on the floor, his blood pooling around his head. She shook more as she turned back to watch Erik while he drove the knife harder into the remaining man's hand, her knees weak and shaking but her feet remaining firmly planted on the ground, miraculously holding her up. Calmly Erik reached for his glass, draining the rest of his beer as the man beside him writhed in pain. This was the side of Erik Annabelle hated to see, the side that scared her the most.

"_Who are you_?" The man beside him cried out. Erik finished his drink as he set the glass down, glaring at the man beside him, now seemingly calm.

"Let's just say I'm Frankenstein's monster." He murmured as he glanced over to the picture on the wall, standing up and slowly walking over to it, observing the picture. "And I'm looking for my creator." He growled out as he used his powers to pick up the gun from behind Annabelle and taking it into his own hand, shooting the man before Annabelle could utter a single plea. She gasped as the tears ran heavier, her own hands now covered over her mouth in horror as she looked to Erik wide eyed, watching him stride back over to the man's dead body, and grabbing the dagger that still pinned the now dead man to the table. He slowly wiped it clean on his pants, the red blood a stark contrast as Annabelle shook all the more, feeling like she might become ill. Erick held the knife tightly in his hand, his cold eyes looking over the engravings once more as he sneered, before looking up to Annabelle. His expression blanked as he saw her own horror filled eyes, and for the first time...

He truly felt like the monster they were made out to be.

* * *

><p>Annabelle was still shaken from what she had witnessed Erik do as the landed in Miami two days later. She had hardly spoken to him in the past forty eight hours, and while he knew he deserved it for losing control like that in front of her, he was still worried.<p>

"Annabelle, I really wish you would talk to me." Erik sighed softly as they walked through the busy airport towards the front where they would catch a taxi directly down to the port he had picked up that Shaw was harbouring in.

"I don't have anything to say to you." Annabelle bit out then as she rolled her suitcase behind her, her eyes hard as they stared ahead. Her face was red with her temper, and he supposed it was better than her being quiet out of shock as she had been for a few hours after the incident.

And at least she was actually responding to him now as well.

"Ha! You just said something to me though!" Erik grinned some, trying to break the tension with some light hearted joking, but all he got in return was a cold glare from his younger sister. He sighed heavily then as he hitched his bag over his shoulder. "Annabelle...I had no choice..." He frowned as he looked down to her then. "If I didn't, that man would have killed you." He added lowly into her ear as she felt a protective arm going around her middle.

"Don't you dare pull that fucking card on me, Erik Lehnsherr!" Annabelle hissed out lowly at him then, and Erik's arm instantly slipped from her as he shifted away from her a step. Swearing was rare with his little Annabelle, but when she swore, you knew she meant business and to stay well away to avoid any bodily harm. "You didn't have to _kill_ them, Erik. You could've shot them in the leg, the arm, something to _injure_ not _fatally wound_." She growled as she continued to walk briskly, huffing softly as she did. Oh yeah, she was angry.

"Annabelle!" Erik groaned as she raced ahead of him, jogging some to keep up with her surprising pace considering how short and stubby her legs were. "Annabelle, just stop." He frowned as he grabbed her arm and gently tugged her back, watching her stumble as he didn't let her fall, nearly recoiling at the cold glare he got. "Listen," He continued in a whisper as he ducked his head a bit closer to her's so she could hear him. "I'm sorry I lost control like that in front of you...I won't do it again." He murmured gently to her as he sighed some. "Please, Annabelle? You know how hard it is for me to apologize for anything."

Annabelle could already feel her anger crumbling as his apology rolled off his tongue, and she couldn't help a small, amused smile at his last statement, knowing how true it was. "Erik...it's not just the losing control that bothered me..." She sighed heavily. "You broke your promise...the promise you made to me that from here on out, the only person to die would be Shaw. _You promised_." She muttered as she frowned, watching him. Erik sighed once more, his shoulders deflating as the guilt hit him straight on.

"You're right, and I broke the promise and you have no idea how sorry I am. I promise you, here and now, no more killing unless it is Shaw." Erik murmured firmly to her as he rested his forehead against her's sweetly, grinning at her some as he did. "That doesn't include any kind of poultry, beef or pork though." He added lightly as he grunted some when Annabelle gently punched his stomach, her small amused smile back.

"Alright, alright, apology accepted." Annabelle murmured softly as she sighed heavily. She knew he was right in the fact that she could've died had he not did what he did, but she also knew that killing shouldn't always be the answer Erik sought out. "Being angry with you is such a waste." She muttered dryly then as she felt his lips on her forehead, kissing it in a brotherly fashion. "Alright, alright, enough being mushy, we got a date with a Mr. Sebastian Shaw that I know you'd hate to miss." She sighed some as she grabbed his hand then, squeezing it gently while leading a now grinning Erik from the airport on out to the cabs that waited outside.

One thing was for sure, this was going to be one long night.

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><p>Annabelle frowned some as she walked out onto the dock, not far from where Shaw's yacht was anchored in the small harbour. She sighed softly as she sat down next to Erik in her own wetsuit, chewing some on her lower lip. "I wish you'd change your mind and let me come on the boat with you...for back up." She whispered softly then as she let her feet swirl around in the water. Erik frowned deeply as he shook his head while looking to her.<p>

"I shouldn't even be allowing you in the water with me let alone anywhere near that boat, but I can't keep an eye on you if you're not close. I don't want anything to happen to you here when I'm all the way over there." He murmured, grabbing the knife he had taken before and shoving it into the holder on his leg. "Besides, Anna, you know you can't be much help during the night anyways. You need to sun for your powers to work, and even still you refuse to use them." He frowned, knowing this was a touchy subject for her. Annabelle stiffened some hearing him as she frowned all the more.

"You know why I don't Erik." Annabelle muttered lowly as she looked down to her knees, fighting off the horrible memories of her powers going out of control back at the encampment. She felt his hand on her knee, helping her to remain away from that dark place as she looked over and saw another apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Annabelle." Erik muttered as Annabelle's lips curved into a small amused grin.

"Two apologies in one day, what's gotten into you?" Annabelle teased lightly as she gently shoved his shoulder and Erik couldn't help a soft chuckle.

"Only for you, Annabelle, only for you." He muttered as he ruffled her hair in return, before diving into the water so she couldn't retaliate. Annabelle growled playfully, shaking her head some before diving in as well, swimming silently with Erik as the neared the boat. Erik said nothing as he motioned for Annabelle to stay put near the side of the boat, and he went on, climbing up the chains of the anchor and leaping silently onto the side of the boat. Annabelle waited anxiously as she tried to hear what was going on. It wasn't too long before she saw Erik suddenly flying from the boat, giving a horrified shout as she saw him hit the water hard. She swam over as fast as she could, seeing him surface.

"Erik? Erik are you alright?" Annabelle gasped out. "What happened?" She turned around then as suddenly there were lights in the distance and her eyes widened seeing what looked like the entire U.S coastguard bearing down on them.

"I was so fucking close!" Erik growled as he slapped the water angrily. "Shaw has got himself some mutant friends." He sneered as he looked up to the boat, before looking back towards the coastguard. Annabelle chewed some on her lower lip, grabbing his arm then and tugging him gently.

"It's over, we'll come back and try again, but we have to go now, Erik!" Annabelle frowned more, looking back out before she gasped softly as she suddenly saw what looked like two cyclones shoot out from above, hitting the first line of men on the speed boats. "Erik! NOW!" She paled.

"No!" Erik growled lowly, lightly brushing her off of him. "No! I can finish this!" He hissed out as Annabelle watched him suddenly concentrating.

"What on earth are you doing?" She demanded angrily, before her eyes widened in shock seeing the chains from the anchor being lifted out. Her mouth fell open in shock as she watched Erik wielding all the metal like a weapon, sending it straight through the boat and twisting it around. She watched as the anchor shot off once Erik ran out of chain to wrap around the boat. "Do you think you got him?" She gasped out, but looked down as suddenly the water started to glow an eerie green color. "Oh my god..." Annabelle trailed off in shock as she watched a submarine detach from the bottom of the boat, moving under them. "How the heck did Shaw manage-ERIK!" Annabelle gasped as he body was suddenly moving away from her own, reaching out quickly and grabbing the back of his wet suit, hauling herself onto his back as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Erik! What the hell do you think you're doing?" She shouted at him. "You can't move this whole bloody thing on your own! You're going to get yourself killed!" She shouted as she held onto him tighter, feeling them moving faster through the water.

"Let me go, Annabelle!" Erik shouted at her, knowing she was right but he had to try anyway, or die trying at the very least. He wasn't about to kill her in the process too, though. "I said LET ME GO!" He shouted at her angrily, unable to do much about her since his full concentration was on the submarine.

"NO WAY IN HELL! If you go down, I go down Erik! I made a promise to you all those years ago to stick with you through thick and thin and I'm going to keep it!" Annabelle growled as she held onto him, feeling both of them starting to get dragged down. In the distance she could hear a man's voice, shouting at them to let go, but it was faint.

"And I promised to protect you!" Erik growled out to her as he tried harder, holding his head up more as they sunk down further.

"You can't protect me if you're DEAD!" Was all that Annabelle could get out before they were both submerged under the water. Erik's heart was thundering in his chest as he felt Annabelle's arms around him tighten even more. She would let go...she had to let go...

What felt like in minutes, when it really was only seconds another body suddenly slammed down ontop of Annabelle's, strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her from her brother, pushing her towards the surface.

_Go, I'll make sure he comes back to you_. A man's voice suddenly lilted in her mind as Annabelle stared after the two bodies while they drifted deeper and further in the water. She felt her lungs burning for air as she knew she couldn't wait a moment longer, else she'd drown. She had a feeling she could trust this mystery man. She kicked widely for the surface, breaking it faster than she thought she would be able to as she gasped for breath, looking around for her brother desperately. She gasped once more in relief while still trying to catch her breath as she saw two more bodies emerge, not too far from her. Swimming over quickly she heard that same voice from before in her mind shouting at Erik, telling him to calm his mind. Annabelle was anything but calm.

"YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed loudly at Erik once she reached him, grabbing his head and forcing him back under the water, dunking him hard before letting him back up, listening to him coughing on some water he must've inhaled. "YOU FUCKING DESERVED THAT YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!" She raged on as angry and worried tears leaked from her eyes. "YOU SCARED THE FUCKING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME!" She screamed as she splashed him with water rapidly, inadvertently probably getting the other young man as well.

"Listen!" The stranger called to her. "Calm your-"

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TELL ME TO 'CALM MY MIND!'" Annabelle growled at him, pointing a finger threatening at the handsome young man to her right, a sob breaking through now as she felt Erik grab her and pull her in closer, holding her to him as he pressed kisses to the top of her head and her forehead and cheeks. Annabelle buried her face into his neck as she gripped onto him, her body trembling from adrenaline and from the cold of the water now.

"Meet my younger sister, Annabelle."

* * *

><p>Once again I am so sorry for the delay of this chapter, but it was really hectic with moving back up to my apartment last week and visits and job searches. I hope this chapter makes it up for you all :D<p>

Reviews are really appreciated :D That is if you feel I deserve them after making you all wait so long : ( I really am very sorry about that.

Thank you for your understand and your time! :D

Ciao


	4. Chapter 4

Sister Dearest

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the X-Men franchise

Hello! I am sooooooo incredibly sorry for the long wait this time (yet gain), I only received ten reviews, half of what I received the chapter before, and I fear that caused me to gain a sense of writer's block, for I had no initiative or want to write for the longest time. I was being truthful when I said reviews are like writing energy to me, haha.

As always thank you so much for the reviews that did come in, I am extremely excited and flattered whenever I see them in my email!

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><p>Annabelle had been forced to apologize to the man they now knew as Charles, something she had done begrudgingly at first. She was surprised that Erik would make her do such a thing, if anything it was he that owed the apology to both of them; then again this was Erik and apologies coming from him were few to none at the best of times. He also knew her well enough to know she would eventually have apologized on her own out of embarrassment; he just simply sped the process up for her.<p>

Right now Annabelle was sitting in the car alongside her brother Erik, looking across and talking adamantly with the young woman in front of her. She was a few years or so younger than herself, and over the car ride she had found out that her name was Raven, and she was a shape shifter.

"So what are your mutant powers?" Raven asked lightly then as she grinned widely. "We've talked so much about me, that I feel kind of conceited now." She laughed a bit and Annabelle giggled some with her, smiling and shaking her head.

"No powers here, just a plain jane everyday human." Annabelle lied easily as she had done through all the years of meeting people. She had always wished her powers didn't exist so it quickly became the norm for her to pretend that she really was 'normal'. It wasn't only just because she feared losing control of her powers, but both she and Erik felt it important to keep them on the down low from people who might use her the wrong way. Though she had a feeling that Charles and Raven wouldn't ever do something like that, they couldn't be sure about the men from the C.I.A. that they were dealing with, and would be dealing with in the future. She saw Charles sending her a weird look though, and sent him one back in return. She knew he would know the truth simply from what she had heard him telling Erik about his own powers. A telepath, and he could sense mutants using his ability. A very cool tool in the right hands, she figured, but not something she wanted him to use to get inside of her head.

"What?" She questioned, her voice still kind of stiff as she addressed him.

"Absolutely nothing." Charles replied back to her, his own voice gruff as he did. Apparently Annabelle didn't settle too well with him either. He had hardly addressed her since they had been recovered back onto the boat, almost acting as if he neither cared to talk to her or consult with her on her view point of what happened with Erik that night. His blue eyes were burning into her own green ones for a while longer, before he turned, resuming his conversation with Erik while Annabelle and Raven fell silent for the rest of the ride.

It wasn't too long after that silent stare-off that they arrived at this secret location that Agent McTaggart had told them they were heading. The building wasn't all that inconspicuous as Annabelle would've believed it to be, if anything it stood out like a sore thumb, not a secretive hideaway. She sighed softly to herself then, before feeling a hand clasping her's, turning and smiling reassuringly to Erik then as she squeezed his hand gently, knowing he wasn't too keen on this idea either. Get Shaw's files and get out; their best laid plan for the situation at hand. They obviously couldn't force them to stay, and both Annabelle and Erik were used to doing things on their own. It was better than way for the both of them, it was easier.

The small limo pulled up, stopping in front of the building as everyone climbed out. As soon as Annabelle was out of the car Erik rested his arm protectively over her shoulders, instantly making her feel more secure about the place. She continued to look around warily though, her trust for humans and their government long since shaken from World War II.

"Welcome to my facility." The Agent of whom she had yet to know the name grinned as he rubbed his hands together once they were all out of the car and facing the building. He was obviously proud of the place he had created, that much was for certain. "My mission has been to investigate the application or paranormal powers in military defence." He added as they all started towards the building, and Annabelle couldn't help stiffening up a bit hearing him. The only thing missing from this facility in her mind now were cold surgical tables and barred cages in the basement. That was exactly what Shaw had been looking for from both herself and Erik.

"Or offense." Erik replied with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice as he did. He held Annabelle protectively to his side, feeling how tense her body was against his own. He knew what she was thinking; because he was thinking the same thing, but he needed her to know that he'd never let anything like that happen to her ever again. Knowing that they were going into this with a couple more mutants put him somewhat at ease, and he found himself to easily trust and like Charles, but that trust would only go so far; that being the endangerment of his younger sister.

"This guy, Shaw, Schmit, whatever you want to call him, he's working with the Russians." Agent MIB (Man In Black) continued on despite Erik's prod as he frowned deeply. "We might need your help to stop him."

"Might?" Annabelle scoffed some under her breath as she felt Erik hold onto her tighter, hearing him bite back a laugh as he did.

"So we're to be the CIA's new mutant division, yes?" Charles spoke up then to cover up Annabelle and Erik's snarky behaviour, frowning some as he looked to the man.

"Something like that."Agent MIB responded lightly as they continued on into the building. Annabelle rolled her eyes some as she frowned, looking up towards Erik before sighing softly seeing him sending her a look to stunt any further sarcastic remarks. It appeared that he still did not want to end up on Charles' bad side for some reason, though Annabelle had quite obviously made the list.

All she knew was that in the end, it wasn't going to matter. They were still going to be the freaks...and they were going to pay for it too.

Annabelle gaped some as they reached a laboratory, seeing the model ship in the middle as she leaned back against the railing, taking it in. It was unbelievable, something you would only think to read of in books, or would watch in those science fiction movies.

"It's, uh, supersonic." Came the unsure voice of a boy. As he walked out Annabelle was first stunned by how young he was to be the head of such an operation. "Fastest plane ever built." He added, a slight tinge or pride coming into his voice as he stood unsteadily in front of them. "You should see it in real life, it's incredible." He murmured, before looking back to the group. The intelligent young man wasn't half bad looking, with light brown hair and huge glasses that somehow suited him well.

"Hank McCoy." Agent MIB spoke up as he gestured back to their group. "These are the special new recruits I was telling you about." He introduced, before gesturing back to Hank. "This is Hank McCoy, one of our most talented young researchers."

"How wonderful!" Charles grinned broadly as he walked up to the young man to shake his hand, looking thrilled for some odd reason that Annabelle couldn't understand. He was just another human, and Charles hadn't seemed all that enthusiastic while greeting her and Erik.

Then again, Erik had nearly drowned all three of them and she had shouted in his face for their first meeting.

"Another mutant already here." Charles added then as he grinned wider, shaking the stunned Hank's hand. Annabelle fought the urge to slap her hand over her face in embarrassment. Charles really didn't understand the meaning of 'secret', did he? It was obvious the kid hadn't wanted people to know with his reaction, and the obvious reaction of the male agent next to her. "Why didn't you say?" Charles asked lightly as he turned back to the Agent, before his own face fell seeing the look of disbelief on his face. "Because you didn't know..." Charles had the decency to at least look mildly ashamed.

"Duh." Annabelle quipped then as she sighed softly, and Charles sent her a glare then, before he turned back to Hank apologetically.

"I am so, _so_ terribly sorry." Charles murmured reverently then as he winced some.

The man slowly stepped forward towards the boy, his face bewildered as he took in the young man. "Hank?" He asked in disbelief as Hank looked anywhere but at the man, clearly feeling embarrassed at being put on the spot like that all of a sudden.

"Charles, is it just me or do you have a knack for sticking your foot in your mouth on first impressions?" Annabelle quipped as Charles once again sent her an annoyed look, Erik sighing some and pinching Annabelle's arm gently as she pouted up at him then.

"Be nice." He muttered to her lowly, before turning his attention back towards the part of three in front of them.

"You didn't ask, so I didn't tell." Hank muttered shamefully as he finally looked up to the man before him, still uneasy.

"So your mutation is what?" Raven asked as she slowly walked up, and Annabelle smirked as the young man still completely when his eyes landed on her, his face growing taunt. Annabelle pressed her fingers to her mouth to hold back her giggles, sensing that Raven had noticed this two, but was graciously ignoring it for his own sake. "You're super smart?" She asked lightly as Hank seemed to flush some.

"I'll say, Hank here graduated Harvard at the age of fifteen." Charles spoke up then with an impressed tone as he looked between his sister and the young boy with a raised eyebrow. Apparently he wasn't as oblivious as Annabelle was giving him credit for.

"I-I wish that was all it was." Hank muttered then with a depressed sigh, Charles frowned some in concern hearing him as he looked to the younger man.

"You're among friends now, Hank." Charles told him with an encouraging smile. "You can show off." He added gently to him as a slow smile appeared on his lips, obviously excited for whatever it was Hank had felt the need to hide. Looking around at them all once more, still seeming insecure he shifted his shoes off. Annabelle furrowed her eyebrows some in curiosity as she watched on, before turning towards Erik to speak with him once more. Erik simply lifted an amused eyebrow back at her, before leaning back against the railing more as he crossed his arms to watch on.

Everyone was watching as Hank pulled his socks off as well, and she grinned widely as she saw his feet. His enormous, ape-like feet. Raven seemed enthralled, and Annabelle began to wonder if it was because she had finally met someone that couldn't blend in like she could in public without hiding. Hank noticed Raven's wide smile, looking suddenly proud of himself and significantly less insecure as he gently nudged people out of the way, walking over to the replica of the ship. Annabelle tilted her head some as she watched him. She laughed then as he grunted and threw himself up into the air upside down, his feet catching the edge of the model as he hung there and let his arms swing lightly. Everyone laughed as they watched him, but what caught Annabelle by surprise was it wasn't a laugh to make fun of him; it was a laugh made in amazement because of him.

"Ta-dah." Hank replied lightly then, looking a little embarrassed once more for so obviously showing off, his eyes constantly going to back towards Raven as he hung there. Raven walked up slowly then, looking up towards his feet before looking at him as Annabelle watched how they stayed there for longer than necessary.

"You're amazing." Raven murmured in awe as she took him looking down towards his face, a soft smile gracing her lips. Hank let out a soft, almost disbelieving chuckle as he heard her, his face cracking into a wider smile.

"Really?" He murmured hopefully at her, and Raven simply smiled softly, encouragingly in return.

"I think that's cute." She muttered to Erik then as she smiled more, and Erik chuckled, shaking his head and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, holding her to his side then.

"More than anything I wish you could have a semi-normal to experience things like that as well." Erik murmured to her softly as he kissed the top of her head sweetly then, before sighing some and hugging her into his side more.

"Why would I want normalcy when it would mean giving up the best big brother in the world?" Annabelle smiled some as she rested her head on his shoulder, sighing softly when she felt his lips on the top of her head.

"I wouldn't give you up for the world either, Anna." Erik murmured back quietly to her then as he sighed some, rubbing his hand along her arm gently.

* * *

><p>It was later that night that Erik and Annabelle had snuck from their rooms, surprising unstopped by anybody in the building. Erik easily broke into the Agent's office, gathering the file that he needed for Shaw.<p>

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Annabelle murmured to him softly then as she frowned some and looked up to him with worry.

"Yes, I am. They won't let us do what we need to do in the end, Annabelle." Erik frowned some. "And in the end we'll end up like we were before; test subjects, or worse." He muttered as he closed the briefcase, grabbing it and taking Annabelle's hand with his open one, peaking out into the hall and seeing it cleared before he walked out with her. Annabelle short legs did their best to keep up with Erik's long strides, chewing on her lower lip then as she squeezed his hand gently.

"How do you know that, Erik?" Annabelle demanded the quietly as they walked, frowning a bit more as she looked up to him. "_How do you know_?" She insisted more firmly, before gasping some as he jerked them both to a stop, looking down at her, his eyes hard.

"I know because I know people can't take what is different without fear. Fear turns to hatred and disgust awful quickly, Annabelle, I thought you above all would know that." Erik muttered, his voice condescending as the back of Annabelle's neck burnt with shame and she looked down to the floor, unable to look her brother in the face for the time being. Erik simply tugged her hand, pulling her along with him as they both emerged from the building out into the cool night. They only made it a few paces though, before a voice rang out to them from behind them.

"From what I know about you, I'm surprised you've managed to stay this long." Charles' voice rang out then calmly from behind them as Erik jerked both himself and Annabelle to a stop, his body tensing slightly as he did. Both he and Annabelle turned slowly to face Charles, Annabelle chewing some on her lower lip as she gripped Erik's hand tightly.

"What do you know about me?" Erik asked evenly as Charles frowned more, shaking his head slightly hearing him.

"Everything." He muttered evenly at him, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I know everything about the both of you." He added as he glanced to Annabelle as well, watching her stiffen, before looking back towards Erik.

"Then you'll know to stay out of my head, and stay away from my sister." Erik growled out then, turning to continue on as he felt Annabelle shaking some beside him, holding onto her hand tighter for reassurance before he stopped once more as Charles called out to him once more.

"I'm sorry, Erik, but I've seen what Shaw has done to you and Annabelle." Charles frowned as he followed them the couple of paces before Erik stopped once more, Annabelle turning around quickly and glaring down at Charles while she paled more, her other hand coming up to grip Erik's bicep tightly. "I felt your agony, Erik." He added firmly then as he stood there, his hands in his pockets and his stance relaxed. Erik took a moment then.

"I can help you." Charles added firmly as Erik let out a disbelieving scoff, turning his head around slowly to look at Charles disdainfully.

"I don't need your help." Erik replied evenly, but Charles wasn't going down without a fight obviously.

"Don't kid yourself." Charles replied back, his voice taking on an edge as Annabelle frowned more, looking between him and Erik as she did. "You needed my help last night. It's not just me you're walking away from." He muttered then as Erik tensed, his pride obviously humbled by what Charles had just spoke of. "Here you have the chance to be part of something much bigger than yourself." Charles paused for a moment as Erik's stance started to relax some, his face unreadable. "I won't stop you both from leaving." He added then as Annabelle chewed more on her lower lip, looking from Erik to Charles once again. "I could...but I won't." He muttered as he slowly started to back up towards the building once more. "Shaw's got friends, you could do with some." Charles threw over his shoulder then as he walked back into the building. Annabelle let the silence hang for a moment longer, before looking up to Erik slowly.

"He does have a point, you know." Annabelle murmured softly, before watching as Erik looked down to her with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought he annoyed you?" He asked lightly as Annabelle sighed some, rolling her eyes.

"That's cause he _is_ annoying...but he's an annoying prat with a point." She muttered disdainfully, as if admitting that Charles was right was physically causing her pain. "And don't you dare tell him that I agreed with him either!" She added harshly then as she pointed a finger at him, and Erik simply smirked.

"I probably won't have to, remember?" He muttered as he pointed towards his temple, reminding Annabelle of Charles' powers.

"Oh, damn."

* * *

><p>There be another chapter out there, and I shall have the next one in the works sooner than normal hopefully. Like I said, reviews equal writing fuel! So please, please PLEASE keep sending them! It's not just for my own benefit, but your's as well, because reviews really do help fight of writer's block! :D Promise they do! Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to hear from a lot of you soon!<p>

Ciao!


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